How sad! I for one do not want to see people committing suicide as a way to advocate for (or against) gay rights. Gay people have a higher rate of suicide as it is, and that is something that we want to prevent. Plus, imagine if it went the other way, and a homophobic priest killed himself to protest gay marriage. It reminds me of a self-radicalized suicide bomber, except that he was the only victim.

If I knew something like this could happen, I would have wanted to intervene and stop him before he doused himself in flames. There are better ways to send an LGBT-supportive message. As it is, the tide is changing fast. I just got married to my husband in an Episcopal church. There are so many Christians who support gay marriage, and I think most of them would be horrified to hear of this suicide. I think his decision may have been a result of deep psychological issues.

What's perhaps the worst part is that this doesn't seem likely to make homophobic people support gay rights. It's just not the answer, and, from a religious perspective, it goes against God's teachings. Martyrs don't willingly kill themselves. They stand up to persecution and are murdered.

This is just very tragic. I feel deeply sad for him, his family and his followers.

HottJoe saidHow sad! I for one do not want to see people committing suicide as a way to advocate for (or against) gay rights. Gay people have a higher rate of suicide as it is, and that is something that we want to prevent. Plus, imagine if it went the other way, and a homophobic priest killed himself to protest gay marriage. It reminds me of a self-radicalized suicide bomber, except that he was the only victim.

If I knew something like this could happen, I would have wanted to intervene and stop him before he doused himself in flames. There are better ways to send an LGBT-supportive message. As it is, the tide is changing fast. I just got married to my husband in an Episcopal church. There are so many Christians who support gay marriage, and I think most of them would be horrified to hear of this suicide. I think his decision may have been a result of deep psychological issues.

What's perhaps the worst part is that this doesn't seem likely to make homophobic people support gay rights. It's just not the answer, and, from a religious perspective, it goes against God's teachings. Martyrs don't willingly kill themselves. They stand up to persecution and are murdered.

This is just very tragic. I feel deeply sad for him, his family and his followers.

That's a very thoughtful post Hottjoe and congrats to you on your marriage; I'm both glad for you and totally jealous that I didn't live in such a world at your age.

When I first saw this news I didn't know quite how to feel about it but it struck me odd and not just because of what it was, but the timing of it and how seemingly unnecessarily extreme due to our progress to date. Earlier on in the movement it might have made more sense--if martyrdom is your thing--some sense at least. But today it leaves me sadly with a sense of senselessness regardless of how I feel about martyrdom.

Maybe there might be something to such an act were we to receive a final denial of our human rights by the supremes. Then we might shed our blood on the steps of justice. But not having come this far and still having this much hope.

And I would apologetically add a little dark humor to this that might not enlighten but highlight the arguable inappropriateness of this method for this cause that a faggot or bundle of wood would be flaming to cinders for gay rights, leaving me with the sense that there's just too much wrong here.